Tie Bars
Tie Bars
Tie Bars are your perfect functional and fashionable accessory, enabling you to keep your ties clipped to your shirts, while providing for a more refined aesthetic.
A Tie Bar is appropriate for most social situations and is considered a highly versatile piece of jewelry. The least applicable situations for a tie bar would be formal (black tie events) or very informal occasions. Settings such as weddings, formal dinners and cocktail parties lend themselves as perfect opportunities to wear a tie bar.
How To Wear A Tie Bar
As a general rule of thumb, the width of your tie should be slightly greater the width of your tie bar (a tie bar that is approximately two thirds the width of the tie looks both dapper and in place). Any tie that extends further than twice the width of your tie bar risks becoming wrinkled as the tie bar will not be correctly aligned with the shirt.
A tie bar that is exactly the width of your tie will create a break in your tie, breaking the vertical, slimming lines that your tie creates. However, a tie bar that is slightly less than the width of your tie will lend to an elegant, dapper look, without creating that drastic break in the vertical lines that the tie provides.
Tie Bar Placement
Regarding tie bar placement, it is best placed between the second and third buttons of your shirt. This is generally where your tie starts tapering, allowing the tie bar to cover more of your tie. It also looks more fashionable and appropriate to have your tie bar higher up than closer to your waist, where it could potentially be out of sight (especially if covered by a vest or waistcoat). If you are particularly long in your torso area, you could wear your tie bar between your third and fourth shirt buttons, though we do not necessarily recommend this option.
Tie Bar Colors & Types
When attempting to discern which tie bar to strut with your suit, an understanding of the finishing touches of your suit will serve you. If your cufflinks, suit buttons or belt buckle are cooler toned (silver cufflinks, belt buckles or grey buttons, for example), opt for a silver tie bar. If your cufflinks or belt buckle are gold plated or your buttons are more bronze in nature (for example, with a navy blazer), a gold tie bar will work best.
Looking to buck conventional wisdom and opt for something brighter? Colored and novelty tie bars can absolutely provide your ensemble with additional pop. A brighter colored tie bar, provides the perfect level of contrast with a more somber, subdued tie. Conversely, pair your less flashy tie bar colors with your more intricate tie colors and patterns for that ideal level of balance.
Novelty tie bars are an excellent way to add some additional intrigue to your attire. Pair one of your solid, less intricate ties with an anchor or moustache tie bar to really make a statement!